Cake Island.
The Singing Ship was ready to set sail.
Perospero, the Minister of Candy, walked over with a grim expression.
"Mama, there's still no news from Smoothie."
"If she can't be found, she can't be found. Let that brat Doflamingo look for her. Smoothie is his fiancée, after all."
BIG MOM was unconcerned. A daughter who had yet to make a name for herself was nothing compared to her grand ambitions.
"Ma ma ma ma! Set sail! That damn Ochoku dared to challenge me—this time, I'll wipe Hachinosu Island off the map!"
"Total annihilation!"
"Destroy it all!"
...
Flevance.
Bang!
"We have no leads at all—what do we do?"
One of the remaining twenty or so doctors, Jinfu, slumped over his desk in despair.
The mood was contagious. The others sank into the same gloom.
As the backbone of the group, Bone was in the same state, but he hid it well.
Clapping his hands to draw everyone's attention, he spoke up:
"Don't panic. The situation is better than ever before. We have enough food and resources—we just need to keep working."
It would have been better if he hadn't spoken. The moment he did, he became the target of everyone's frustration.
"Work? Does our effort even matter?"
Jinfu pointed at the still-operating assembly lines in the distance, completely disregarding the Germa soldiers standing by with guns. He roared:
"The damn experiments are still ongoing! What can we even do?!"
"We've accomplished nothing in the past few days!"
"People are walking into death traps on their own!"
"You call this treatment?!"
In the distance, a tree-like figure, barely conscious, was playing with a child.
Bone took a deep breath, his grip tightening over the white patches on his skin. His voice was resolute:
"I do. At least it's better than us useless fools doing nothing."
"Lord Doflamingo has done a thousand times more than the royal family and the World Government ever did."
"Otherwise, my daughter, Lami, would already be in critical care."
"If not for him, we'd be killing each other instead of trying to cure Amber Lead."
"Lord Doflamingo's experiments at least give the severely ill another option—a small, desperate chance at survival."
"Now, I have a new research direction. If you don't want to be part of it, Jinfu, you can leave."
After a brief silence, the makeshift lab returned to its busy state.
...
Reclining on a sun lounger, Doflamingo continued his relentless critique.
"Buffalo, what did Lao G teach you? Be flexible when developing your Devil Fruit!"
"Why must your whole body spin? Why make yourself a giant target? Can't you just rotate your arms while flying?"
"Yes! Just like that. Tekkai is about controlling your blood flow—so what happens when you focus it on your fingers?"
"I see it now, Lord Doflamingo!" Buffalo, his face bruised and battered by beatings, suddenly had a breakthrough.
He concentrated all his power into his fingertips. The Spin-Spin Fruit's ability kicked in, making his wrist spin rapidly.
"Shigan: Gatling!"
Boom!
Yamato was sent flying. She steadied herself, then shouted in frustration.
"Enough already, Doffy! This is our fight!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
A hefty kanabo came crashing toward Buffalo's skull.
Once you master one technique, a hundred others become clear.
Buffalo suddenly realized that Yamato's attacks weren't as terrifying as before.
With an awkward combination of Kami-e and his spinning abilities, his neck twisted, pressing his back tightly against his spine. He effortlessly dodged the sweeping blow.
At the same time, his spinning fist struck Yamato's airborne face.
Bang!
With nowhere to brace himself, Yamato was sent flying again.
"Fuffuffuffuffu."
Grinning, Doflamingo shifted his attention to another student.
"Yamato, is your brain only capable of mimicking and attacking? Do you ever think?"
"Is this really how the Oni race wields its strength? Control your blood flow. Feel your muscles move."
"Stop blindly copying your father! Everyone has different heights, body types, arm lengths, leg lengths, and weapons."
"Besides, your strength is nowhere near his—not even by a fraction!"
"Stop relying solely on brute force. Learn proper technique."
But Yamato only found him annoying. Even her father hadn't lectured her this much.
"Shut up! Shut up! Just stop talking already!"
Despite his complaints, she adjusted her grip and attacked again.
"Thunder Bagua!"
This time, it at least had 0.0005% of its full power.
"Fuffuffuffuffu, what a relaxing day."
Ignoring Buffalo getting pummeled again, Doflamingo stretched lazily, watching the glowing red sun.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The steady footsteps were unmistakable.
Doflamingo didn't even need Haki to know it was Judge.
If it were Caesar, there'd be a farting sound accompanying him.
"Judge, how's the progress?"
With dark circles under his eyes, Judge seemed unusually excited.
"Thanks to the brave sacrifices of the Flevance people, our experimental data is continuously improving. The probability of tree transformation and minor consciousness retention is increasing."
The higher the rejection rate, the likelier they were to end up as nothing but a pile of rotten flesh.
Those who fully transformed into trees could still move instinctively, drawn to water and sunlight.
Those with minor consciousness retained a faint recognition of the people they remembered most.
Judge believed there was a possibility of restoring full awareness.
"Caesar and I both agree that the next phase should be able to retain consciousness. Boss, our goal is within reach."
"Fuffuffuffuffu. Excellent. Absolutely excellent."
Doflamingo turned to look at Judge's exhausted face and paused.
He wasn't asking for a break, was he? Impossible!
Patting Judge's shoulder hard, Doflamingo activated his Observation Haki for motivation.
"Judge, you and Caesar are going to surpass Vegapunk—that fraud who relies on Devil Fruits and historical blueprints."
"The future of the New World will be shaped by your hands!"
"Judge, imagine the legacy you'll leave behind!"
"The future of human bloodlines will be eternally marked by your masterpiece."
Judge suddenly felt like his nearly broken collarbone didn't hurt anymore. Maybe he could hold out for a few more days before sleeping.
He had completely forgotten why he even came here.
Dazed, he turned to leave—then abruptly stopped.
"Boss, we're running out of test subjects."
"Oh? Are people unwilling to volunteer?"
"Boss, the critically ill patients are nearly gone. The others need more time."
"Then let's lend a hand. Among the supplies we brought, there's a batch of lead-plated goods. Caesar knows what to do."
"Understood, Boss."
Judge left, reinvigorated.
"Whew, at least he wasn't here to ask for time off. He can rest once Sanji's four brothers are born. That way, Sora can prepare for her third pregnancy."
Just as Doflamingo lay back down, his transponder snail rang.
BIG MOM.
"Doffy, that girl Smoothie is missing."
"Ma ma ma ma! You go find her yourself, Doffy. I'm too busy to care!"
Is running away from home ingrained in your bloodline or something?
Pushing up his sunglasses, Doflamingo muttered inwardly.
Several of Charlotte's daughters had run off with their husbands after marriage.
Could Smoothie be coming to find him?
"Understood, Lady Linlin. I'll keep an eye out."
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